Mr Admin (me!) put up the Arsenal player ratings earlier and there were quite a few readers that took exception to a few of my decisions.
Luckily, I have received some different rating from a regular contributor that is not known for pulling his punches, so let us see if you agree with his rather more in-depth marks for the Leicester game.
I’m sure you will let him know what you think in the comments….
Arsenal v Leicester Player Ratings by Peter Doherty
Exciting times at the The Emirates…
Another sign of progress with the victory against Leicester and the atmosphere in the Emirates being electric is a huge bonus. Here are my player ratings for yesterday’s game
Aaron Ramsdale (5) Not one of Rambos better games. Stood up well for the Fofana chance but it was hit tamely at him. Had no reason to come charging out for the Saliba own goal and would have prevented it if he had stayed on the goal line. The angle for the Maddison goal favoured him and he would have expected to keep it out.
Ben White (6) Defensively sound and offered little for Leicester down their left side. Put in a good cross for Xhaka’s goal but offered very little penetration going forward otherwise.
Saliba (7) His positioning and reading of the game are instinctive and are footballing traits that cannot be coached. His speed of recovery again was evident and only got marked down for his own goal, which Ramsdale shares partial responsibility.
Gabriel (7) Commanding under the high ball and made several forays forward but ultimately doesn’t have the vision to produce a killer pass when the opportunity presents so tends to turns back. Gaps began to emerge between him and Zinchenko midway through the second half and Maddison was quick to exploit them
Zinchenko (8) Tireless running and pinpoint passing sum up his game. His technical ability for receiving and delivering passes is outstanding. Reads situations very swiftly and can therefore initiate significant attacking opportunities in the early part of team movements, a contribution that is frequently overlooked. Tired at the end and should have been replaced by Tierney earlier
Partey (7) A mixed bag which seems to be typical Partey. Offered substantial cover for the defense and snuffed out multiple Leicester attacks before they got going. His distribution ranged from sublime to woeful.
Xhaka (8) Has obviously been granted a freer role and the licence to roam forward. A role that he seems to be unexpectedly very good at. The timing of his runs were executed perfectly and he is a player growing in confidence, which is a strange thing to say about a 29 year old. As Zinchenko tired Xhaka was more exposed for the Leicester forward forays.
Odegaard (7) Odegaard is incredible at quiet efficiency. Quick touches that are barely perceptible and clever runs that causes consternation in the opposing defense do not get the plaudits like a beautiful assist or a fine finish, but are vital nevertheless.
Martinelli (9) What can you say about this kid? He’s unbelievable. When playing like this he must be a defenders worst nightmare. His capacity to win the ball and retain it under great pressure is phenomenal. Winning duels he has no right to, and keeping defenders at bay as he creates openings are becoming standard. His finish was a thing of beauty.
Saka (6) Not one of his most influential games but when you have frequently single handedly taken the fight to the opposition over two seasons then you can be forgiven. Its easy to forget that he still 20 years old such is the expectations heaped upon his shoulders. He’s only a wain. [ED. Irish word for kid]
Jesus (9) Increasingly resembling the true Second Coming. His appetite and hunger is so striking that it can overshadow his incredible skill level. He is constantly moving, making it damn near impossible to mark him, and his instinct and reaction time creates panic in defences. His vision and execution for the first goal was reminiscent of Henry.
Overall a great team performance with work to do to elevate it yet further. What is reassuring is that there is confidence that this set of players have several other gears to go through.
Peter
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